CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday strongly criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him of bargaining and blackmail over a remark linking the Madurai Metro project to the election of a BJP MLA.
Fadnavis while speaking to the media after the nomination filing of BJP candidate Rama Sreenivasan in Madurai said that once the BJP candidate won in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Metro project would be brought to the city.
In a post on X, Stalin asked, “Is it the job of the Maharashtra Chief Minister to bargain and blackmail by saying Madurai will get a Metro only if a BJP MLA is elected?”
Questioning whether it was appropriate for a Chief Minister to make such statements in a state ruled by an opposition party, Stalin said it was shameful for someone who had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution to speak in such a manner.
The CM further added that such remarks undermine constitutional values and federal principles, especially when made in another state.
Centre cites population criteria, suggests BRTS
In November last year, the Centre rejected Tamil Nadu’s Metro Rail proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai, citing lower population based on the 2011 Census. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs noted both cities fall short of the 20-lakh requirement under the 2017 Metro Rail policy and suggested cost-effective alternatives like Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), returning the DPRs.